Lindy Goldman is a superstar seller for the Manchester Radio Group in Manchester, NH. She’s been in radio for 21 years and 4 months, all of it in sales. This year she’s a Radio Ink Radio Wayne finalist for Streetfighter of The Year.
The awards will be handed out next week in Miami during the Radio Masters Sales Summit. Our awards are sponsored this year Quu.
Radio Ink: What do you do on your own to keep your selling skills sharp?
Lindy Goldman: I love to read (old fashioned paper books, not screens) and have learned a lot from sales books. The best was How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger. Favorite quote: “Find out what the other fellow wants, then help him find the best way to get it.” **this book was written in 1949 when the business world was primarily “fellows” but the lesson holds true for all of us. I also enjoy books on time management. The Time Trap by Alec Mackenzie and Pat Nickerson is a classic I’ve read many times. The best advice here is to “Batch your tasks”. It’s so much easier to get things done when your brain can focus on one type of activity at a time. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne and Jack Canfield’s Key to Living the Law of Attraction have taught me so much about the importance of always having a good attitude. It’s amazing how little things like using positive language when you speak, and truly believing in yourself can bring positive outcomes. I also enjoy non-fiction WWII books and stories of mountain rescues. While not directly related to sales, the lessons on tenacity, strength, and decision-making can be applied in all aspects of life and most certainly in sales!
Radio Ink: How do you stand out above the competition when you walk in to see a client?
Lindy Goldman: I grew up in a small town in New Hampshire and am not what people would consider a ”typical” salesperson. I have a friendly, genuine way of presenting myself and am not slick, flashy, or pushy. I listen more than I speak and try to educate my clients first and foremost. They don’t always buy right away but I stay in touch and keep offering ideas. My competitors start to give up and move on but I’m still there. And when they client DOES decide to move forward with me, they’re fully engaged and committed. This approach has worked very well to build long-term relationships versus a high-pressure “close it quick” tactic.
Radio Ink: What do your clients love/dislike about radio?
Lindy Goldman: My clients love coming to the station to record their commercials. We forget how exciting radio is since we’re around it every day (that’s a direct quote that I’m borrowing from our GM) but for clients to come into the studio and record, meet the DJs as they’re walking through the halls, and have a photo of themselves behind the microphone to share on social media, it’s an experience that they can’t get with any other media. I often send log times so they know when to tune in and hear their commercial and that’s fun for them. And when friends, family, and customers say “I heard you on the radio”, it makes them feel good about their investment since they know people are hearing it. As far as dislikes, it would have to be the lack of “trackability”. It’s improved greatly with website analytics/attribution but we still get the “how do I know if it’s working?” question and need to be able to have a conversation about it and make sure expectations are realistic and managed.
Radio Ink: Tell us about your best sale ever.
Lindy Goldman: March 2002. I was coming up on my one-year anniversary at my first radio job and my guarantee was about to go away. I was doing pretty well but was nervous about being able to cover my draw going forward. About six months prior, our local sales manager (my boss’s boss) decided to give me an avail that had come over for a client called “Mac Inc.” I did a little digging and realized it was McDonald’s and thought she had given it to me by mistake. Why would a rookie be given such a big account? Well, I was working for an Oldies station and it turns out, McDonald’s had never bought us because our audience was “too old”. Several veteran reps had tried to get them on the air with no success. My LSM told my boss “I’m giving this to Lindy because she doesn’t know how hard it is”. I submitted a proposal for the first round and didn’t get bought. Same thing for the second round. I had been taught to stay in touch “between the buys” so I sent the buyer articles, ratings data, and I think we may have sent her some fresh lobsters since she was landlocked in Chicago. I guess the saying “third time’s the charm” holds true. I arrived at work on the exact day of my one-year anniversary and sitting on the fax machine (remember, it’s 2002 and we still used these!) was an order for McDonald’s! I brought it in to show my LSM and she jumped up from her desk, gave me a giant bear hug, then got on the PA system and yelled “LINDY JUST GOT MCDONALDS ON THE AIR!!! It was a great sale and seemed to have a ripple effect as a few months later, another rep was able to get a first-time buy from Coca-Cola (a similar “too old” situation).
E-mail Lindy to congratulate her on being named a 2022 Radio Ink Radio Wayne finalist for Streetfighter of The Year at [email protected]
Register for the Radio Ink Radio Masters Sales Summit HERE.
Previous Profiles of our finalists:
SBS D.O.S. Elizabeth Paulino
Alpha Media Streetfighter Carla Bales
Beasley Media General Sales Manager Marta DeLisi.
CMG Atlanta D.O.S. Kris Hackett Lucas
